Charcoal grills are a great choice for beach houses thanks to their portability, long useful life, and ability to add that quintessentially smokey flavor to your food.
Whether you’re grilling up burgers and hot dogs for a quick lunch — or smoking a brisket or turkey for that special occasion — a good charcoal grill is an essential piece of equipment for a beach house.
A charcoal grill is easy to move around and set up whenever it’s needed. And when it’s not in use, you can store it away without fuss and hassle, and keep it that way until you plan on grilling again. This makes charcoal grills the best option for a beach house, where you don’t want to leave a grill out all year round.
That, and compared to a gas grill, a charcoal grill requires less maintenance and care, especially in a moist and salty climate. You’ll be able to enjoy all the fine pleasures of grilling without dealing with complicated upkeep and expensive repairs.
We’ve done the due diligence for you and rounded up the best to help you pick. See our selection, along with buying guide and our best usage and care tips, below.
Best Charcoal Grill for a Beach House
This charcoal grill is a modern version of the original kettle grill invented by Weber. It has a diameter of 22 in. and can hold up to 13 burgers at the same time. The porcelain-enameled lid and bowl hold on to heat and don't rust, and the steel cooking grate has 363 sq. in. of cooking space.
The Weber Original Charcoal Kettle grill is a top pick for its durability, versatility, and ease of use. If you’re someone who grills more than you smoke meats, this grill gives the best value for the money.
Its 22-in. diameter cooking surface offers 363 sq. in. of cooking space, which is right about perfect for a small beach house. It can easily accommodate several burgers, hot dogs, and other small to medium-sized items.
The grill’s porcelain-enameled bowl and lid make it resistant to rust and easy to clean, and its One-Touch cleaning system makes cleanup a cinch. The Weber Original Charcoal Kettle also has a lid damper that lets you control the heat of cooking without lifting the lid, and a durable plated steel cooking grate that holds up to years of use.
This kamado grill gives an excellent sear to your meats. But where it excels is in smoking them. The ceramic walls hold onto heat like no other, and Kamado Joe's patent-pending SlōRoller hyperbolic insert instantly converts your charcoal grill into a smoker.
The Kamado Joe Classic Joe III Charcoal Grill is a runner-up for its superior heat retention and cooking performance. Go for it if you’re looking for a grill that’s equally good at grilling and smoking meat.
Its thick-walled ceramic construction helps to maintain consistent temperatures, making it perfect for high-temperature searing as well as low and slow cooking.
The stainless steel cooking grates hold onto heat well, and the built-in thermometer lets you keep tabs on the cooking chamber’s temperature — paramount when slow-cooking whole birds or smoking large slabs of meat.
The Kamado Joe Classic Joe III Charcoal Grill is an efficient choice for the beach house cook thanks to its 18-inch diameter and 3-tiered cooking system. This system allows you to cook three types of foods at various temperatures all at the same time, making it easy to grill up everything from burgers to sausages to ribs without having to cook in batches.
And with a total cooking space of 250 sq. in., there’s plenty of room to accommodate all your favorite dishes. Whether you’re cooking for a small gathering or a large party, this here kamado grill has the space and capabilities to help you handle it all.
This charcoal grill and meat smoker has a total of 474 sq. in. of grilling space, with 368 sq. in. on the main grate. The front charcoal access door and liftable charcoal pan make adding coals and making the most of your coals a breeze, even if you're cooking up a big batch of food.
The Royal Gourmet 24-Inch Charcoal BBQ Grill is a runner-up for its spacious cooking area and convenient features. This is your best option if you frequently grill for a lot of people.
It has a total of 474 sq. in. of cooking space, including 368 square inches on the porcelain-enameled cooking grates and 106 sq. in. on the stainless-steel warming rack.
This makes it our most spacious pick and perfect for grilling up a meal for a crowd. The grill also has a charcoal access door at the front, which allows you to easily add coals during grilling without having to lift the lid and remove the cooking grate. This helps to maintain consistent temperatures and ensure that you have enough fuel to cook all your favorite dishes.
Thanks to the adjustable-height charcoal pan, the Royal Gourmet 24-Inch Charcoal BBQ Grill allows you make the most of every batch of coals, even if the coals have been glowing for a while and are starting to cool off and turn to ash.
What to Look For
When shopping for a charcoal grill, there are a few key things you ought to consider to find the best one for your needs.
First, consider the size of the grill. You’ll want a grill that’s large enough to accommodate your cooking needs, but not so large that it takes up too much space. Think about how much food you’ll typically be cooking at once and choose a grill with a cooking surface that is appropriate for your needs.
Next, consider the materials the grill is made of and its durability. Charcoal grills are typically made of either steel or ceramic, and each material has its own pros and cons:
- Steel grills tend to be more affordable and lighter weight, but they may not retain heat as well as ceramic grills.
- Ceramic grills, on the other hand, are more expensive and heavier, but they are known for their excellent heat retention and ability to maintain consistent temperatures.
In addition to size and materials, you’ll want to consider any convenience features that the grill has to offer. Some grills have built-in thermometers, adjustable airflow vents, and/or ash catchers, which can make cooking and clean-up easier.
Finally, consider the charcoal grill’s maneuverability — and maybe even portability — if you plan on moving it around on the patio or taking it with you to the beach. Portable grills are smaller and lighter weight, making them easier to haul around. Just be sure to choose a grill that’s sturdy and durable enough to withstand being carried around or transported.
What to Avoid
Be wary of low-quality materials and poor construction. Cheaply-made grills may be tempting due to their low price, but they’re likely to break or wear out quickly — leaving you with the need to purchase a new grill soon after. Instead, look for a grill that’s made of high-quality materials, such as heavy-gauge steel or thick ceramic, and that has a sturdy, durable construction.
Be careful not to overpay for a grill that has features that you don’t need or won’t use. Yes, it’s always good to have a few bells and whistles, but then again, you don’t want to spend all that money on extras you’ll never use. Focus on finding a grill with the size and features most important to you.
Avoid buying from unknown brands. These brands keep lower prices, that’s true. But remember that you always get what you pay for — they also tend to have have lower-quality products and unreliable customer service. If you have a problem with your grill, it may be difficult to find replacement parts or need to wait forever to it repaired, and the warranty is likely to be a sham.
Why Trust These Picks
We spent 31 hours researching and rounding up the best charcoal grills for beach houses so you won’t have to.
We looked at product specs, read through owner’s manuals, and sourced customer reviews, sifting the real from the fake, to come up with a shortlist of contender grills. We then drew on the decades of combined grilling experience of our team to scrutinize our list of favorites and come up with the final selection of winners, which you can see before your eyes:
- Top pick: Weber Original Charcoal Kettle
- For grilling and smoking: Kamado Joe Classic Joe III Charcoal Grill
- For a crowd: Royal Gourmet CD1824E Charcoal BBQ Grill
Thank you for reading and we hope you found our buying guide for the best charcoal grills for beach houses helpful. If we missed something you want added to this guide, please let us know by leaving a comment below.
